Abstract: A method includes flowing a first fluid through a first channel of a microfluidic apparatus and flowing a second fluid through a second channel of the microfluidic apparatus. The first fluid comprises biological material and a matrix material and is immiscible with the second fluid. The first and second fluids are combined at a junction to form droplets of the first fluid dispersed in the second fluid in a third channel. Multiple exposures of a droplet in the third channel are captured in a single image, comprising: illuminating a region of the third channel with multiple successive illumination pulses during a single frame of the imaging device; identifying the droplet and determining a velocity or a size of the droplet based on an analysis of the captured exposures; and controlling the flow of the first fluid or second fluid to obtain droplets of a target size or velocity.

Abstract: The present invention provides vaccine compositions and methods of producing such compositions. Other embodiments of the invention include methods of treating a pathogen infection, methods of vaccinating a subject against a pathogen infection, and methods for treating an antibiotic-resistance bacterial infection in a subject in need thereof. In further embodiments, the invention includes methods of decreasing the level of a pathogen in a subject having a pathogen infection, methods of increasing the surviving rate of a subject having a pathogen infection, methods of reducing the level of pain associated with a pathogen infection, and methods of reducing the level of distress associated with a pathogen infection in a subject in need thereof. Novel scaffold compositions and opsonin-bound or lectin-bound pathogen compositions, and uses thereof, are also provided herein.

Abstract: Techniques for domain capture. In one embodiment, for example, a method comprises detecting an attempt by a personal user account to use the online service where the account is associated with an electronic mail address that belongs to an owner of a domain name service domain. Based on detecting the attempt, the online service prompts the particular personal user account to join a team of user accounts. Upon receiving an acceptance of the particular personal user account to join the team, the personal user account is offered an option between converting the personal user account to a team user account that is a member of the team or changing the electronic mail address associated with the personal user account to a different electronic mail address that is not owned.

Abstract: A system and a computer-implemented method are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: receiving, from a golfer mobile device, a request to conduct a round of golf, the request comprising round information and identification of a validator mobile device, receiving, from the validator mobile device, confirmation of validator status, receiving, from the golfer mobile device, score data and location data of the golfer mobile device. The method further comprises receiving, from the validator mobile device, location data of the validator mobile device, determining whether the received score data is valid by comparing the location data of the golfer mobile device to the location data of the validator mobile device, and determining and recording a score based on the score data for the golfer if the received score data is determined to be valid.

Abstract: Techniques for invite enforcement. In one embodiment, for example, a method comprises: receiving an acceptance of an invitation to join a team of one or more team user accounts held with the online service; based on receiving the acceptance and based on determining that an owned domain name service domain of an owned electronic mail address is associated with the team, offering a personal user account an option between at least: (a) converting the personal user account to a team user account that is a member of the team, and (b) changing an electronic mail address associated with the personal user account from the owned electronic mail address to one that has a different domain name service domain than the owned domain name service domain associated with the team.

Abstract: Techniques for domain capture. In one embodiment, for example, a method comprises detecting an attempt to create a personal user account with an online service that uses an electronic mail address that belongs to an owner of a particular domain name service domain. Based on the detecting, the online service prompts a user associated with the attempt to create a team account with the online service that is under management of the owner of the particular domain name service domain. Also based on the detecting the online service offers the user an option of creating a personal user account with the online service using an unowned electronic mail address.

Abstract: Techniques for domain capture. In one embodiment, for example, a method comprises detecting an attempt by a personal user account to use the online service where the account is associated with an electronic mail address that belongs to an owner of a domain name service domain. Based on detecting the attempt, the online service prompts the particular personal user account to join a team of user accounts. Upon receiving an acceptance of the particular personal user account to join the team, the personal user account is offered an option between converting the personal user account to a team user account that is a member of the team or changing the electronic mail address associated with the personal user account to a different electronic mail address that is not owned.

Abstract: Techniques for domain capture. In one embodiment, for example, a method comprises detecting an attempt to create a personal user account with an online service that uses an electronic mail address that belongs to an owner of a particular domain name service domain. Based on the detecting, the online service prompts a user associated with the attempt to create a team account with the online service that is under management of the owner of the particular domain name service domain. Also based on the detecting the online service offers the user an option of creating a personal user account with the online service using an unowned electronic mail address.

Abstract: In one embodiment, for example, a method comprises: receiving an acceptance of an invitation to join a team of one or more team user accounts held with the online service; based on receiving the acceptance and based on determining that an owned domain name service domain of an owned electronic mail address is associated with the team, offering a personal user account an option between at least: (a) converting the personal user account to a team user account that is a member of the team, and (b) changing an electronic mail address associated with the personal user account from the owned electronic mail address to one that has a different domain name service domain than the owned domain name service domain associated with the team.

Abstract: Techniques for invite enforcement and domain capture. In one embodiment, for example, a method performed in an online service computing environment comprises the operations of: storing, in a database, an association between a team of one or more user accounts and a domain name service domain; receiving a request to invite an e-mail address belonging to the domain name service domain to join the team; creating, in a database, a placeholder user account that is a member of the team; associating, in a database, the e-mail address with the placeholder user account; and after an invitation for the e-mail address to join the team is accepted, converting, in a database, the individual user account to a team account that is (a) a member of the team and (b) associated with the e-mail address.

Abstract: A thermal barrier coated metallic article includes a platinum-group metal enriched outer layer on the article. The surface of the outer layer has a microstructure including a plurality of projections extending away from the metallic article. A thin adherent layer of oxide is formed on the outer layer of the metallic article. A ceramic coating is provided on the oxide layer on the surface on and around the projections. The ceramic coating includes a plurality of columnar ceramic grains which extend through the full thickness of the ceramic coating. The grains are arranged in clusters separated by gaps. The grains deposited around the projections are generally blocked. The projections reduce the stress in the ceramic coating near the interface with the adherent layer of oxide and also reduce the stress in the adherent layer of oxide and hence increase the working life of the thermal barrier coating system.

Abstract: Techniques for invite enforcement and domain capture. In one embodiment, for example, a method performed in an online service computing environment comprises the operations of: storing, in a database, an association between a team of one or more user accounts and a domain name service domain; receiving a request to invite an e-mail address belonging to the domain name service domain to join the team; creating, in a database, a placeholder user account that is a member of the team; associating, in a database, the e-mail address with the placeholder user account; and after an invitation for the e-mail address to join the team is accepted, converting, in a database, the individual user account to a team account that is (a) a member of the team and (b) associated with the e-mail address.

Abstract: The present invention provides fertiliser compositions comprising granules of urea and plant hormone, such as gibberellic acid or a salt thereof, in addition to methods of manufacturing and using such compositions and granules, for example for improving plant health and production, such as treating the soil of pastoral land to increase pasture production.

Abstract: The present invention provides fertiliser compositions comprising granules of one or more plant hormones, such as auxin or gibberellic acid or a salt thereof, in addition to methods of manufacturing and using such compositions and granules, for example for improving plant health and production, such as treating the soil of pastoral land to increase pasture production.

Abstract: A system for providing structural variation or phasing information is provided. The system accesses a nucleic acid sequence dataset corresponding to a target nucleic acid in a sample. The dataset comprises a header, synopsis, and data section. The data section comprises a plurality of sequencing reads. Each sequencing read comprises a first portion corresponding to a subset of the target nucleic acid and a second portion that encodes an identifier for the sequencing read from a plurality of identifiers. One or more programs in the memory of the system use a microprocessor of the system to provide a haplotype visualization tool that receives a request for structural variation or phasing information from the dataset. The request is evaluated against the synopsis thereby identifying portions of the data section. Structural variation or phasing information is formatted for display in the haplotype visualization tool using the identified portions of the data section.

Abstract: A thermal barrier coated metallic article includes a platinum-group metal enriched outer layer on the article. The surface of the outer layer has a microstructure including a plurality of projections extending away from the metallic article. A thin adherent layer of oxide is formed on the outer layer of the metallic article. A ceramic coating is provided on the oxide layer on the surface on and around the projections. The ceramic coating includes a plurality of columnar ceramic grains which extend through the full thickness of the ceramic coating. The grains are arranged in clusters separated by gaps. The grains deposited around the projections are generally blocked. The projections reduce the stress in the ceramic coating near the interface with the adherent layer of oxide and also reduce the stress in the adherent layer of oxide and hence increase the working life of the thermal barrier coating system.

Abstract: The present invention provides fertiliser compositions comprising granules of urea and plant hormone, such as gibberellic acid or a salt thereof, in addition to methods of manufacturing and using such compositions and granules, for example for improving plant health and production, such as treating the soil of pastoral land to increase pasture production.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining when a device is in a range of a first aggregator and, if the device is determined to be in the range of the first aggregator, causing the first aggregator to support the device. The method also includes determining when the device is in a range of a second aggregator and not in the range of the first aggregator. When the device is determined to be in the range of the second aggregator, the second aggregator is caused to support the device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling a barrier movement operator having a timer-to-close feature are disclosed. The methods and apparatus include arrangements for conveniently inhibiting and re-activating the timer-to-close feature and for providing a mid-stop position during movement toward the closed position. Additionally, the embodiments include methods and apparatus for reversing barrier operation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling a barrier movement operator having a timer-to-close feature are disclosed. The methods and apparatus include arrangements for conveniently inhibiting and re-activating the timer-to-close feature and for providing a mid-stop position during movement toward the closed position. Additionally, the embodiments include methods and apparatus for reversing barrier operation.